Well-trained and motivated professionals play a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality ECEC to all children and their families (European Commission, 2021). However, the development of an interprofessional team may face challenges stemming from subjective and differently interpreted communication, as well as a lack of presumptions for success and efficient communication within the teams (D’Amour et al., 2005). This presentation explores the concept of (in)formal communication among professionals as a key component of interprofessional team collaboration in addressing the special educational needs (SEN) of children. Interprofessional collaboration and communication are characterized by active relationships among professionals from various sectors such as educational support, health care, and social support, all working together with the shared goals of joint problem-solving and service provision (Barret & Keeping, 2005; Reeves et al., 2010). In the context of ECEC, interprofessional collaboration is grounded in a holistic approach and is viewed as a prerequisite for fostering equal, partnership-based relationships, along with the complexity and integration of services (Barker, 2009). In our study, we aimed to identify and interpret communication experiences among professionals collaborating within different types of ECEC teams to address the SEN of children. The research question guiding this study was: What are the main components of interprofessional communication as identified by professionals working in contexts within special and inclusive ECEC? The research adopts ethnographic case study research design, delving into subjective meanings of participants to elucidate interprofessional communication within two ECEC settings. Specifically, the study examines implementation of communication and explores the meanings manifested in professionals' narratives (Elliot, 2005; Ntinda, 2020). The qualitative methods, including individual and group interviews and observational journals have been employed to collect data. Qualitative thematic analysis has been carried out following the inductive logics of data analysis. The findings move between concrete expressions and descriptive text on meanings of lived experiences (Van Manen, 2016; Sundler et al., 2019). The research findings are presented through group narratives, collaboratively co-constructed by both the researchers and the participants involved in the study. The findings indicate that professionals in ECEC interprofessional teams highlight the following communication aspects as crucial when addressing children's educational needs: adopting a holistic approach to child development and education; emphasizing informal everyday communication, which involves sharing professional knowledge, experiences, and collaborative problem-solving; recognizing the significance of formal communication during team meetings, encompassing functional goals, the structure of discussions, and the ability to actively participate in team deliberations

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